The Union Minister for Human Resource Development,Shri Prakash Javadekarlaunchedthe ‘SamagraShiksha’ - an integrated Scheme for school education extending support to States from pre-school to senior secondarylevels for the first timein New Delhi today. The Scheme is a paradigm shift in the conceptual design of school educationby treating ‘school’ holistically as a continuum from pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary and senior secondary levels.

Speaking on this occasion, Shri Javadekar said that in keeping with Prime Minister’s commitment of providing of ‘SabkoShikshaAchchiShiksha’,The Ministry of HRD has taken a landmark step and completely overhauled the existing Schemes in School Education to treat schooling as a smooth transition from pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary and senior secondary level. It focuses on improving quality of education at all levels by integrating the two T’s – Teachers and Technology.He elaborated that ‘Samagra’ means  a holistic approach to treat education  as a wholeand the Scheme is very aptly named as it sees school education holistically without segmenting it into various levels of education.

Shri Prakash Javadekarsaid that earlier the budget on the three schemes ie SSA, RMSA and Teacher Education wasRs. 28,000 crore in 2017-18. But the budget outlay on the new scheme will be now Rs. 34,000 crore in 2018-19 and  toRs. 41,000crore in 2019-20 i.e. an increase of 20% which shows Central Government’s commitment for Education. He said that about one million schools will get library grant of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000to strengthen the libraries to ensure that “Padhega Bharat Badhega Bharat”.

He further said every school will get sports equipment under the SamagraShiksha, at the cost of Rs. 5000 for Primary, Rs. 10,000 for Upper Primary & up to Rs. 25,000 for SSC & HSC schools to inculcate & emphasize relevance of sports to realise the dream of “Khelega India Khilega India”. Shri Javadekar saidKasturba Gandhi BalikaVidyalaya (KGBV) to be expanded from Class 6-8 to Class 6-12 with allocation of Rs. 4385.60 crores in 2018-19 & Rs. 4553.10 crores in 2019-20 to fulfil Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s commitment to BetiBachaoBetiPadhao.

He said that thescheme will build on the grade-wise, subject-wise Learning Outcomesand the largest National Achievement Survey (NAS) conducted in 2017-18 to strategize district level interventions for improving quality of education. This approach would help to shiftthe focus of student learning from content tocompetencies. The Scheme envisages active participation of all stakeholders especially the parents/guardians, School ManagementCommittee (SMC) members, community and the statefunctionaries towards the efforts to ensure quality education to children.

Shri Javadekar said that a teacher is the fulcrum of the school education system. Scheme will focus on strengthening this crucial pillar by making SCERTs and DIETs the nodal agencies for teacher training. These institutions would be strengthened to emphasize the integration of in-service and pre-service training structures in States to make it need-focused and dynamic.  This would strengthen the quality of teaching in schools across levels.

He said that this will enable reaping the benefits of technology and widening the access of good quality education across all States and UTs and across all sections of the Society.“DIKSHA”- the national digital platform for teachers would put high quality teaching learning resources for ready use of teachers. The Scheme will support ‘Operation Digital Board’ in all secondary schools over a period of 5 years, so as to enhance the use of digital technology through smart classrooms, digital boards and DTH channels. The Digital initiatives like ShaalaKosh, Shagun, ShaalaSaarthi will be strengthened.

The Minister also announced a competition over myGov to design an apt logo for the scheme which signifies a holistic approach for holistic development of children.

Shri Upendra Kushwaha in his address said that it is a new beginning in the field of education and SamagraShiksha will integrate schemes through a single school education development programme covering grades pre-school to 12^thwhich would help in looking at a school as a unit. He pointed out that it is the Endeavour of the Government to equip our children with all-round skills – academic, extracurricular and vocational- so that they lay a strong foundation for the future development of India.He further said that the Integrated Scheme is a paradigm shift in conceptual design of school education envisaging to integrate teacher, technology and student learning.He furthersaid thatfocus will be on teachers’ training and technologyto improve the quality education.

Shri Prakash Javadekar also unveiled the brochure and website of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme. The brochure gives an insight into the major features of the Scheme and how the Scheme focuses on improving quality of education, enhancing the Learning Outcomes and using technology to empower children and teachers.

The Website provides details about the Scheme for information of the States/UTs, teachers, children, institutions and public at large. It details out the interventions for which financial support is provided under the Scheme to States and UTs. All notifications, correspondences and circulars are uploaded on the website for ready reference of States and UTs. An online Project Monitoring System is linked to the website which measures progress against targets and monitors processes of implementation of various interventions of the Integrated Scheme.

Shri Anil Swarup, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ms. Rina Ray, Special Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy,  and senior officials of the HRD Ministry were also present on this occasion.

The programme began with the beautiful rendition of SaraswatiVandana by the children of National Bal Bhawan.

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NB/AKJ/YP/AK